How to Train Your Tree

Thursday, July 10, 2014

You may have seen trailers for DreamWorks Animation’s latest creation “How to Train Your Dragon 2” during the past couple months. While the title sounds very cute and instructive, these are mythical creatures, making it impossible to train one.

However, in the world of botany, it is possible to train a tree. You may have heard of pruning a tree, but training a tree is a separate process.

According to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Services: “Pruning is the removal of a portion of a tree to correct or maintain tree structure. Training is a relatively new practice in which tree growth is directed into a desired shape and form… The goal of tree training is to direct tree growth and minimize cutting.”

Below you can see our X-treme File Bands training young branches in a "tall spindle" apple orchard at Treworgy Family Orchards in Levant, Maine.